Archive for June 2014
Padre Island National Seashore separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Laguna Madre, one of a few hypersaline lagoons in the world. The park protects 70 miles of coastline, dunes, prairies, and wind tidal flats teeming with life. It is a safe nesting ground for the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle and a haven for 380 bird species. It also has a rich history, including the Spanish shipwrecks of 1554. This week, biologists released 98 critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchlings into the wild. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/18/14.
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Wikipedia: Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle
Where Is It: 150 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
The Birth: From wikipedia:
The Powell Geographic Expedition entered the area in 1869 after their first trip through the Grand Canyon. John Wesley Powell visited Zion Canyon in 1872 and named it Mukuntuweap, under the impression that that was the Paiute name. Powell Survey photographers John K Hillers and James Fennemore first visited the Zion Canyon and Kolob Plateau region in the spring of 1872. Hillers returned in April 1873 to add more photographs to the “Virgin River Series” of photographs and stereographs. Hillers described wading the canyon for four days and nearly freezing to death to take his photographs.
Paintings of the canyon by Frederick S Dellenbaugh were exhibited at the St Louis World’s Fair in 1904, followed by a glowing article in Scribner’s Magazine the next year. That, along with previously created photographs, paintings, and reports, led to U.S. President William Howard Taft’s proclamation on July 31, 1909 that created Mukuntuweap National Monument. In 1917, the acting director of the newly created National Park Service visited the canyon and proposed changing its name to Zion from the locally unpopular Mukuntuweap. The United States Congress added more land and established Zion National Park on November 19, 1919. A separate Zion National Monument, the Kolob Canyons area, was proclaimed on January 22, 1937, and was incorporated into the park on July 11, 1956.
Painting of Zion Canyon by Frederick Dellenbaugh (1903)
It Happened Here: Zion hatched its first California condor chick in the wild this year. Read the story, here.
Size: 146,597 acres
# Visitors: 2,807,387 in 2013. Attendance peaked in June/July, and at its lowest in January/February.
Plants: From the Park’s website:
Visitors are often surprised by the relative lushness found in Zion Canyon. The riparian area of the Virgin River supports enormous cottonwood trees and a diversity of herbaceous plants and grasses. Nearby, saturated wetlands make nice habitat for cattails, willows, aquatic plants, and rushes. Water seeping out of the Navajo sandstone creates tranquil springs and the unique “hanging gardens” for which Zion is famous, full of ferns, wildflowers, and mosses.
Animals: From the Park’s website:
Zion is home to over 78 species of mammals, 291 species of birds, 44 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 8 species of fish. Masters in the art of desert heat evasion, many animals take to burrows or dens in the heat of the day, or choose to be nocturnal and use our hours of slumber to live upon the landscape in cooler temperatures.
Though all the animals in Zion are protected by its National Park designation, some animals are of special note. Zion is critical habitat for the Mexican spotted owl, a species classified as threatened on the federal level. A small population of Mojave Desert tortoises is being monitored, along with the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher.
Fees: A 7-day pass for a private vehicle is $25.
Staying There: Three campgrounds are within the Park. One of them is free!
Contact Info:
Zion National Park
Springdale, UT 84767-1099
Visitor Information 1-435-772-3256
Current Issues: Three BASE jumpers have been killed in the Park this year. The canyon walls are very pretty … and totally dangerous, too. Read about it, here.
Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 11/15/13.
Sometimes there are no words for the beauty found in America’s great outdoors. The Narrows in Zion National Park. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 12/12/13.
Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 1/22/14.
Photo: Clint Losee. Posted by the US Department of the Interior on Instagram, 2/15/14.
The Subway. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/29/14.
Bighorn sheep, perhaps contemplating how the cow did it. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 4/4/14.
Photo: Kurt Stephan. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 3/7/14.
Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 6/12/14.
From the Park’s website.
From the Park’s website.
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From the Park’s website.
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National Park Service: Zion National Park
Honey Did You See That: Don’t Judge Me By My Hair Color Or Else
KimberlyJumps.com: Welcome To Zion
One woodworking show that I enjoy watching is Rough Cut, with Tommy Mac. A recent episode talked about making a cheese board from a piece of 6/4 walnut from the cut off bin … and that episode showed the way for me to do this design.
There’s a technique where you cut sideways across the table saw blade, rather than straight through the blade. The result is a graceful cove cut, which this cheese board has on all 4 edges. Combine that cut with a rounded shape for the board, and you get unique curves going in many directions. Here’s how it’s done:
I started with 6/4 Walnut stock, that was glued up and then flattened with the planer.
Edges trimmed square on the table saw. Action photography and shop safety supervision by Velda, incidentally.
That’s a fir 2×8 that’s clamped to the table saw top, exposing the front of the blade. The 2×8 is acting as a fence that I slide the board across. Since I’m cutting at an oblique angle to the blade, the sawdust shoots to the right, even through the dust collection system was on.
Here’s the cove cut after about half of the work is done. The cuts are done in very small increments.
Another round of cuts. These cuts are made without a blade guard, so you must be VERY CAREFUL as you guide the board through the blade.
The cut is almost 3″ deep into the board, and about 1-1/4″ high.
A curve marked on the edge of the board. I really need to buy a real flex curve … why?
Cut the curved shape on the bandsaw.
My Bosch random orbital sander may not make it through another project … but it’s working so far. The dust collection o-rings have failed, so I’ve switched to a hose connected to the dust collection system … held on with packing tape. Worked, sort of.
Board # 1, with a quick coat of mineral oil. I ended up making 4 versions of this board in the first run.
Cheese & Cracker server # 92, The Surfboard. Black Walnut.
The board really feels great with the big cove cuts!
This is another version of this cheese board, with the top made from one lovely piece of 3/4 walnut. That top was glued to a base made from 3 pieces of 3/4 walnut.
Dinner is served!
After experiencing the altered reality that is a craft fair, Mrs M and Mrs M got together and discussed what they wanted their booth to look like.
After a fair amount of research and seemingly unending some discussion … I started cutting boards. Here is the new booth that displays the lotions of both Mrs Ms and the wooden constructions of, uh, well, you know.
Instead of spreading displays all over a 6′ table, we concentrated the products on a stair unit adding verticality to the display.
Lip balms, in a 3-compartment display.
A tester unit, organizing all lotion testers in a 2×8 configuration. All scents are now available in one place with easy accessibility.
Poplar was used for the construction. Mineral oil was used to protect the wood.
The front of the wood display is a 4′ tower, with multi-levels of both cheese boards and cutting boards. The top allows is for a featured product.
The towers were made with alder.
Two step units were built; each puts 4 new levels of display on the table.
A second 4′ tower is on the table, such that the display is actually taller than most people. Verticality.
The staircase for the wooden display was made with maple … I was out of alder and poplar.
A french cleat system is used to hold the boards on each tower.
The complete booth in its inaugural showing …
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MrsMsHandmade.com
Our local Senior Center staged a Touch A Truck event on the day before Father’s Day. It’s a great idea: they gather all sorts of big trucks & machines, and invite kids to come climb on them, meet the operators, and perhaps imagine being able to operate really cool things like garbage trucks, fire trucks and tow trucks.
Little boys were in nirvana. Dads and Moms with little boys and little girls were having just as much fun. Life was good. This was a great event for young families, and a great outreach for all of the city departments on display with their shiny trucks.
And a bonus! On this Saturday before Father’s Day, fathers bringing a young kid with them got in free. Everyone else paid $5, with all proceeds going to the Senior Center.
With all of the young families bustling about between the big trucks, it seems that the vendors did most of their business with each other … and thankfully, the many volunteers for the Senior Center liked Mrs M’s lotions!
And remember, only YOU can prevent forest fires!
This young lady got to sit in the driver’s seat, and chose to blow the air horn the moment I was 5′ in front of the truck. She had more fun than I did.
Here, I believe, are pictures of my father and each of my grandfathers … to the extent of the archive. Click on the photos to read the captions where I identify the relationship with each.
Here you see my father, my two Grandfathers, my four Great Grandfathers, seven of my Great Great Grandfathers, and five of my Great Great Great Grandfathers.
My father, Robert Eugene Mowry (1927 – 1985).
Wilbur Henry Mowry (1899 – 1970), is my paternal Grandfather, and namesake.
Lee Edison Shull (1908 – 1987) is my maternal Grandfather, and namesake.
Oscar Mowry (1869 – 1958) is my father’s father’s father. He’s my Great Grandfather.
Norman Ernest Boring (1873-1953) is my father’s mother’s father. He’s my Great Grandfather.
Artemus Clyde Shull (1879 – 1944), on right, is my mother’s father’s father. He’s my Great Grandfather. Here he’s shown with his family, from left, Cora Baugher Shull, Gordon Shull and Lee Shull (my Grandfather, with the open mouth).
James Woods Decker (1877 – 1948) is my mother’s mother’s father. He’s my Great Grandfather.
William Henry Mowry (1842 – 1916) is my father’s father’s father’s father. He’s my Great Great Grandfather.
Henry Barrett (1850 – 1934), the father of my Grandfather Mowry’s mother. He is my Great Great Grandfather.
Alban Boring (1840 – 1915) holding Norman Ernest Boring (1873-1953). My father’s mother was a Boring. Alban is my Great Great Grandfather, and Norman Ernest is my Great Grandfather.
Phillip Patterson “PP” Shull (1842 – 1930) is my mother’s father’s father’s father. He’s my Great Great Grandfather.
Jacob Albert Baugher (1842 – 1913), the father of my mother’s father’s mother. He’s my Great Great Grandfather.
James Benjamin Decker (1838 – 1883) is the father of my mother’s mother’s father. He’s my Great Great Grandfather.
Carodan Leroy Swartz (1851 – 1907). Picture taken in 1894. He is my mother’s mother’s mother’s father. He’s my Great Great Grandfather.
Abraham Mowry (1814 – 1892) is the father of my father’s father’s father’s father. He is my Great Great Great Grandfather. Parenthetically, this photo is only believed to be him … it was found unlabeled in my Great Grandfather Oscar’s house following his death. The photo print is very large, 16×20, and it is known that Abraham served in the Union Army (under his son, my Great Great Grandfather William Henry Mowry, who was a Lieutenant).
John Wesley Norman (1825 – 1904) is my father’s father’s father’s mother’s father. He’s my Great Great Great Grandfather.
Noah Mast (1812 – 1897) is the father of my mother’s father’s mother’s father. He’s my Great Great Great Grandfather.
Fayette Cook (1829 – 1900) is the father of my mother’s father’s mother’s mother. He’s my Great Great Great Grandfather.
From the workshop … I got a nice load of walnut lumber, so I’m playing. Here are 3 new cutting boards. More designs to come!
# 74 Cutting Board, $150. Walnut, Curly Cherry and Hard Maple.
# 15: Walnut and Honey Locust. Chamfered bottom edge in place of handholds on each end.
# 75 Cutting Board, $150. Black Walnut and Hard Maple.
1. Go look at the moon. It will be full and yellow due to its closeness to the earth and the bending of light by our atmosphere. Always good to appreciate pretty things. And … we won’t have another full moon on Friday the 13th until 2049. Better enjoy this one.
2. Celebrate this Friday as I do most Fridays: with a trip to the post office. Working from home has such hidden perks, you see.
3. Revel in a hot shower. On Sunday our hot water disappeared (literally), and we had zero water from the hot water faucet. Not hot, not cold, nothing. Cold water faucet was fine, but there was zero flow from the hot water faucet & both of our showers. Weird, right? On Monday morning, the hot water fairies smiled upon us and the hot water was back, from every hot water faucet. No clue what happened for the hot water to take a 12 hour vacation, but I’ll enjoy a hot shower on Friday, without benefit of a plumber’s bill.
4. Design a new end grain cutting board that doesn’t make Velda say I can only sell it in New Mexico. She’s tough to please, that one.
5. I’m doing an online demo with a prospect from Honolulu, who’s looking at our traffic system. I need to close the deal, and then find a way to be required to install the software personally. It could happen; it’s Friday the 13th. It could happen.
6. Don’t watch a horror movie. Of course, that’s something I don’t do EVERY day, but it’s definitely something I will not do to sully this wonderful day.
7. Buy a lottery ticket. Friday the 13ths are clearly the best for me.
8. Load the cars with Mrs M’s lotions (as well as the obviously nicknamed Mr M’s stuff) for the early departure to our event on Saturday. Come join us at Santa Clarita’s Touch A Truck event, which is to benefit the SCV Senior Center.
9. Enjoy this Friday the 13th, as it is the only one in 2014. Look forward to 2015, when there will be three!
10. Finish new blog post: “14 Things To Do On Saturday The 14th.” I feel a new series coming on.
11. Don’t take Velda out to dinner, as she didn’t accept my suggestions that we needed to keep the day clear. No, she’s buried in Mrs M’s preparations and has no time for me us. OK, no dinner out on Friday the 13th.
12. Remind Velda that I proposed 39 years ago today, on our first date – which was on a Friday the 13th. And that she’s still stuck madly in love with me.
13. When it’s 5 o’clock somewhere, lift a glass in celebration.
More
13 Reasons I Love Friday The 13th
NationalGeographic.com: Creepy Full Honey Moon….
Sunset over Maine’s Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse in the Acadia National Park.
Utah’s Canyonlands National Park. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 6/9/14.
Sunset at Big Bend National Park. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 6/11/14.
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Sunsets
The Perfect Sunset
Moose crossing Campbell Creek in BLM-managed land in Alaska. Photo: Doug Ballou. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 6/6/14.
Saw-whet owls in Washington’s Hanford Reach National Monument. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/30/14.
Lynx, in Denali National Park. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/29/14.
Bear in Katmai National Park wait for the river to deliver their dinner: migrating salmon. Photo: Douglas Croft. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/6/14.
Bison in Yellowstone National Park. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior on 6/10/14.
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Animals, Part 3
Animals, Part 2
The Animals
